Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday staged a two-hour silent protest in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar to express solidarity with students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak and related issues. Hazare began his maun andolan at 11 a.m. near the Mahatma Gandhi statue and concluded the demonstration at 1 p.m. before returning to his village, Ralegan Siddhi. According to his aide, Datta Awari, the protest was organised as a peaceful show of support for students demanding accountability and reforms in the examination system.

A day earlier, Hazare had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over reports of violence and police action against student protesters in Delhi. In his letter, he said the situation was deeply distressing and urged the government to view the protests as a reflection of public concern rather than merely a law-and-order issue. He appealed to the Centre to engage with students through constructive dialogue and build trust instead of allowing tensions to escalate.

Hazare also stated that seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should not be viewed as a threat to the government but as a step towards greater accountability. He urged the government to patiently listen to the students’ concerns and work towards a peaceful resolution through meaningful discussions. His intervention comes as nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak continue to draw support from various public figures and civil society groups.